21 Public Relations Terms You Should Know

21 Public Relations Terms You Should Know

Every industry has its own set of unique terminology. Public relations (PR) is no different. In fact, there are PR terms that are straightforward, while others are head-scratchers.

In today’s blog, we’re covering 21 of the most common PR terms you should know.

Beat

Refers to the specific topic or subject matter that a reporter covers.

Boilerplate

Found at the end of a press release, a boilerplate offers a concise overview of a company, and outlines its mission and recent awards, for example. A boilerplate is a condensed “About Us” section.

Byline

A byline is written by an expert and shares their viewpoint on a specific topic and provides helpful advice and insights.

Earned Media

Publicity that a brand obtains through content it hasn't paid for or produced on its own. It encompasses features, interviews, mentions, reposts, and other forms of digital word-of-mouth marketing.

Embargo

An embargoed press release is a news release, media alert, or announcement that’s shared with journalists and media outlets prior to its publication, via press release distribution. The company provides a date and time of when the press release can be shared with the public. Our blog, Embargoed Press Release: Best Practices Guide explains everything you need to know.

Exclusive

This is a story that’s given to one specific publication. Oftentimes, an exclusive is given to a larger publication that has greater reach. When it comes to exclusives, there's an unwritten rule that the information can't be shared to other outlets until the original publication releases their story.

Impressions

The total number of times a piece of content is viewed or has the potential to be viewed. This number excludes engagement metrics.

Lede

This is the opening sentence of a news story's first paragraph. It’s designed to capture the reader's attention and set the stage for the content.

Media Advisory

A one-page description or invitation to the press for an event. It provides important details such as time, venue, and purpose.

Media Database

A media database is an organized and searchable directory of blogger, influencer, journalist, and reporter contact information. It’s intended to help PR professionals find and connect with the right person to pitch their press release.

Media Kit

A media kit or press kit, is a collection of information about a company that includes contact details, product/service information, press releases, earned media mentions, images and video, frequently asked questions, awards, educational resources and more.

Media List

A media list, sometimes referred to as a press list, is an organized list of media professionals. This list includes contact information such as their name, email address, phone number, social media handles, publication, and beat.

Media Room

An online media room, sometimes referred to as press room, or press page, is a webpage where brands can put their best foot forward and curate the best news including press releases, articles, earned media mentions, social posts, and more. Media rooms are typically geared toward journalists and media professionals, as they include contact information and additional details about the brand, their successes and vision.

At ACCESSWIRE, we offer Online Media Rooms which help our clients synchronize their news, customize their brand voice and assets, prioritize their best news, and analyze the performance of your media room and its content.

Not for Attribution

“Not for attribution” is a statement that specifies that information cannot be quoted with the source’s name. However, it can be attributed to a general identifier such as a “company spokesperson.”

On Background

This information can’t be directly quoted; however, it can be paraphrased and attributed with less specificity.

Off the Record

Information that shouldn’t be publicly disclosed by the reporter. Note, at the start of the conversation, a PR professional can use the term “off the record” which signals to the reporter that the information they’re sharing shouldn’t be made public.

On the Record

Information that can be used and attributed to a source by name and job title in a public context. The best way to describe “on the record” is fair game . This means that any information that’s shared between a PR professional in the media can be used and attributed to the source by name and job title.

Owned Media

Content that a company owns and controls. Examples of owned media include:

• Blog posts 
• Brochures 
• Emails 
• Newsletters 
• Social media posts 
• Website content

Paid Media

Paid media, sometimes referred to as paid media advertising, defines any marketing tactics a company pays for.

Examples of paid media include:

• Display advertising 
• Sponsored content 
• Pay-per-click-advertising 
• Social media advertising

With paid media, brands pay a third party to share their message on an external platform to an audience.

Pitch

A succinct message, often in the form of an email, phone call, or social media direct message, crafted for the media to secure earned media attention. If you want to learn more about media pitching, check out our blog, Pitch Perfect: Media Pitching Basics and Best Practices .

Press Release

A concise and compelling news story, written by a PR professional and distributed to targeted media, typically covering newsworthy topics like special reports, company milestones, product launches, funding rounds, and executive appointments. A press release should address the 5 W’s + How and follow the inverted pyramid structure.

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